The week that sealed a "great and historic presidency and a turnin (1 Viewer)

[Koya]

Let's be honest - history is written by the winners and often without context. So, when the history e-readers cover this presidency, one that began with naïveté that bordered on stupidity (you don't just give a nice speech and knock down the walls of DCs insider game), an utter lack of touch with the real focus of the electorate (the economy stupid) and such poor performance that only the Republicans could lose the midterm elections, Obama has:

- Become the first African American president (and first born in Kenya, to boot!)

- Led us out the of depths of the Great Recession to once again dominate the world economy

- Health care for all

- Marriage Rights for all

- significantly decreased our military combat footprint

Other than nominate the Liberals new favourite Chief Justice, what can his predecessor point to?

Seriously - fair or not (the economy was not Obamas doing), after a failure of Bush's policies we have three historic steps forward - black pres who instituted national healthcare and witnessed equality of marriage for all - even without the miscredit that will likely fall obama's way re economics.

All it took was Reagan and Bushs nomination to set the wheels in motion.

 

[Koya]

FWIW, I voted for him the first but not the second time.

 

[NCCommish]

He doesn't get any credit for waiting for the polls to tell him it was cool to evolve on gay marriage. He could have made a difference in several states if he shown any balls on the subject at all. And his recovery sucks because he listened to Larry, never right about anything/Clinton retread, Summers and did it on the cheap. I give him some victoriies on foreign policy and SC picks but a lot of this presidency has sucked if you aren't right of center.

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

Not a terrible president

 

[timschochet]

I like Obama though I consider him to be a mediocre President. (26 in my rankings). But he is no more responsible for today's decision than Eisenhower was for Brown vs Board of Education- less so IMO.

Obama's track record on gay marriage, like that of every major Democratic politician, including Hillary Clinton, but with the sole exception of Al Gore- has been shameful. It is clear to me that Obama and Hillary and the rest of them have always been for gay marriage but were afraid to say so for fear of political retribution. They didn't evolve on this issue; they waited until it was safe to publicly change their tune. Only Gore, years ago, showed the bravery of a Harry Truman; Obama and Hillary were cowards.

So let them celebrate with everyone else: today is a great day to be American, but don't dare give them credit for an achievement they had nothing to do with.

 

[Koya]

Wow, you guys are really missing the boat - or maybe you are the boat.

History looks at its interpretation through the fogged lens of time.

IMO, that lens will shine very brightly on Obama - my point BEING that his actual role may not have been nearly as large as history will inevitably make it out to be.

We like sound bites and bullet point:

First AfAm president

Got us out of two war theatres

Economy jumped into the 21st century

Healthcare for all

Marriage equality for all

Plus a good orator for those looking through the archives.

 

[JuniorNB]

Best President in the last 15 years

 

[NCCommish]

Best President in the last 15 years

Pretty low bar considering.

 

[Koya]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

 

[timschochet]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

 

[shader]

Let's be honest - history is written by the winners and often without context. So, when the history e-readers cover this presidency, one that began with naïveté that bordered on stupidity (you don't just give a nice speech and knock down the walls of DCs insider game), an utter lack of touch with the real focus of the electorate (the economy stupid) and such poor performance that only the Republicans could lose the midterm elections, Obama has:

- Become the first African American president (and first born in Kenya, to boot!)

- Led us out the of depths of the Great Recession to once again dominate the world economy

- Health care for all

- Marriage Rights for all

- significantly decreased our military combat footprint

Other than nominate the Liberals new favourite Chief Justice, what can his predecessor point to?

Seriously - fair or not (the economy was not Obamas doing), after a failure of Bush's policies we have three historic steps forward - black pres who instituted national healthcare and witnessed equality of marriage for all - even without the miscredit that will likely fall obama's way re economics.

All it took was Reagan and Bushs nomination to set the wheels in motion.

 

[shader]

Obama has given everyone in America the ability to get ripped off by the medical industry! Hurrah!

 

[ChiefD]

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this

There are no history books anymore. History is just a link that verifies what you want to believe.

 

[MaxThreshold]

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this

There are no history books anymore. History is just a link that verifies what you want to believe.

Link?

 

[dickey moe]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality . Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

You're seriously giving Obama credit for this?

 

[matttyl]

How's he doing on race relations?

 

[dparker713]

I count one historic step forward. Forcing people to buy health insurance is hardly a positive. And it should be government recognized marriage for none - not all.

 

[The General]

Pretty good except for him being Muslim terrorist.

 

[Koya]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality . Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

You're seriously giving Obama credit for this?

Me? No. Well, other than health care and eventually positive influence on the gay marriage front, but only when it became politically acceptible.

But I am not talking reality, I am talking perception, and historic perception as well.

You don't think Obama will be looked back at, long into the future, in a positive manner ?

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

The last two weeks have basically kicked off the victory lap.

 

[17seconds]

please shut down the thread. he's 26th in tim's rankings

 

[NREC34]

Weeks like this are why it's foolish to try to rank him right now.

50-100 years from now it will be clear how great he is/was.

 

[kevzilla]

bin Laden down? Oh yeah, he is.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

He has survived the right-wing echo chamber of unfettered propaganda.

That's pretty effing amazing.

:terroristfistbump:

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

I like Obama though I consider him to be a mediocre President. (26 in my rankings).

 

[jamny]

Coulda been better

Coulda been worse.

 

[squistion]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

 

[timschochet]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change. But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

 

[squistion]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change.But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

No, not directly, but judges are conscious of public sentiment and the President's use of the bully pulpit (even though that is not supposed to influence their decisions). And Obama was probably aware of the views on this issue for Kagan and Sotomayor before he nominated them to SCOTUS

 

[Soonerman]

He's one half of the worst back-to-back 2-term presidents ever.

 

[slackjawedyokel]

I count one historic step forward. Forcing people to buy health insurance is hardly a positive. And it should be government recognized marriage for none - not all.

Exactly. Everyone is so focused on what the government recognizes and ignores the fact that government has no business in marriage to begin with, hetero, gay, polygamy... None belong in the grasp of a government. The question is not why did it take so long to give equality to gays, it's "where did the right go in the first place?"This is an example of stealing something and gifting it back at a later date.

 

[Johnny Rock]

The last two weeks have basically kicked off the victory lap.

Tripp & Phall

 

[cstu]

One of the best Presidents in American history.

 

[cstu]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change.

But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

How often have we seen liberal decisions like this under Republican Presidents? Honestly curious.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Doubt Obama gets much credit in the long run, but this week put the final nail in the coffin of the Reagan era. The conservatives had the wind at their back from 1980 until at least 2008, but there's no doubt now we're in a different period. It's never neat and tidy and Republicans will have their wins here and there too, but overall the pendulum is swinging left.

 

[timschochet]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change.

But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

How often have we seen liberal decisions like this under Republican Presidents? Honestly curious.

Brown vs. Board under Eisenhower. Roe vs. Wade under Nixon.

 

[cstu]

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Everyone and their mother knew how Obama felt about gay marriage. He was lying his ### off before the 2008 election.

 

[cstu]

All joking aside, 50 years from now and especially 100+, the minutiae and context will be gone.

He will be the first non white president who happened to have instituted national health care and marriage equality. Oh, and left with an economy strongly on the rise after the worst recession since the 30s.

How is a history book not going to look uber fondly on this (unless it's Texas where they will still believe the Dinos walked hand and hand wit Adam and Eve)

Koya it's 60 years since Brown and nobody credits Ike for it. The Warren Court and.the NAACP gets credit but not Eisenhower.

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change.But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

How often have we seen liberal decisions like this under Republican Presidents? Honestly curious.

Brown vs. Board under Eisenhower. Roe vs. Wade under Nixon.

Eisenhower ran on a rather liberal platform:

Equal Rights.

We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women.

Equal Opportunity and Justice

Civil Rights

The Republican Party points to an impressive record of accomplishment in the field of civil rights and commits itself anew to advancing the rights of all our people regardless of race, creed, color or national origin.

In the area of exclusive Federal jurisdiction, more progress has been made in this field under the present Republican Administration than in any similar period in the last 80 years.

The many Negroes who have been appointed to high public positions have played a significant part in the progress of this Administration.

Segregation has been ended in the District of Columbia Government and in the District public facilities including public schools, restaurants, theaters and playgrounds. The Eisenhower Administration has eliminated discrimination in all federal employment.

Great progress has been made in eliminating employment discrimination on the part of those who do business with the Federal Government and secure Federal contracts. This Administration has impartially enforced Federal civil rights statutes, and we pledge that we will continue to do so. We support the enactment of the civil rights program already presented by the President to the Second Session of the 84th Congress.

The regulatory agencies under this Administration have moved vigorously to end discrimination in interstate commerce. Segregation in the active Armed Forces of the United States has been ended. For the first time in our history there is no segregation in veterans' hospitals and among civilians on naval bases. This is an impressive record. We pledge ourselves to continued progress in this field.

The Republican Party has unequivocally recognized that the supreme law of the land is embodied in the Constitution, which guarantees to all people the blessings of liberty, due process and equal protection of the laws. It confers upon all native-born and naturalized citizens not only citizenship in the State where the individual resides but citizenship of the United States as well. This is an unqualified right, regardless of race, creed or color.

The Republican Party accepts the decision of the U.S.. Supreme Court that racial discrimination in publicly supported schools must be progressively eliminated. We concur in the conclusion of the Supreme Court that its decision directing school desegregation should be accomplished with "all deliberate speed" locally through Federal District Courts. The implementation order of the Supreme Court recognizes the complex and acutely emotional problems created by its decision in certain sections of our country where racial patterns have been developed in accordance with prior and long-standing decisions of the same tribunal.

We believe that true progress can be attained through intelligent study, understanding, education and good will. Use of force or violence by any group or agency will tend only to worsen the many problems inherent in the situation. This progress must be encouraged and the work of the courts supported in every legal manner by all branches of the Federal Government to the end that the constitutional ideal of the law, regardless of race, creed or color, be steadily achieved.

 

[GoFishTN]

You forgot he got rid of the Confederate flag too. You're slipping.

 

[squistion]

Tim, of course no one credits Eisenhower - he did not speak out against segregation in education before the decision. Obama was late to the party with marriage equality, but he was on record as being in favor of same sex marriage in an interview in May 2012.

Yeah after he saw the polls change.But even if he had been in favor all along, I don't think Presidents deserve credit (or blame) for SC decisions.

How often have we seen liberal decisions like this under Republican Presidents? Honestly curious.

Brown vs. Board under Eisenhower. Roe vs. Wade under Nixon.

And with Brown how much did that have to do with Earl Warren? Warren was the GOP governor of California and Ike had no idea of his liberal leanings at the time he nominated him. In fact, Eisenhower later said that the biggest mistake he ever made as President was the nomination of Warren to SCOTUS.

 

[raidergil]

Hell if not for that pesky FoxNews he'd be added to Mt. Rushmore! I'm sure history, as told to our children by media & educators, will overlook increases in welfare and increased minority unemployment, worst race relations since the 60s and ramifications of health care.

One of his biggest 'accomplishments' is proving just how liberal media is.

 

[matuski]

Koya rubbin salt in the wound

 

[humpback]

One of the best Presidents in American history.

Also one of the worst.

 

[squistion]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/27/1397047/-Vox-Obama-is-Officially-One-of-the-Most-Consequential-Presidents-in-American-History

Vox: Obama is Officially One of the Most Consequential Presidents in American History

From Vox.com:

After Thursday's Supreme Court ruling, there's no longer any doubt: Barack Obama is one of the most consequential presidents in American history and he will be a particularly towering figure in the history of American progressivism.

...

...When you consider the (Affordable Care Act) law in the context of 100 years of progressive activism, and in the grand scheme of American history, it starts to look less like a moderate reform and more like an epochal achievement, on the order of FDR's passage of Social Security, or LBJ's Great Society programs. It is, to quote Harvard political scientist Theda Skocpol, "a century-defining accomplishment in the last industrial democracy to resist using national government to ensure access to health coverage for most citizens." FDR failed, Truman failed, Nixon failed, Carter failed, Clinton failed and Obama succeeded. He filled in the one big remaining gap in the American welfare state when all his forerunners couldn't.

http://www.vox.com/...

Vox writer Dylan Matthews goes on to list many of President Obama's other significant achievements:

stimulus bill

Dodd-Frank Act

executive action to curb greenhouse gas emissions

executive action to protect 6 million undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Ended ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military.

Made it easier for women and minorities to fight wage discrimination

Cut out private sector involvement in student loans

hiked top income tax rate

reopened relations with Cuba

Iran Nuclear deal (tentative)

reprofessionalized the Department of Justice

refashioned National Labor Relations Board

refashioned the Wage & Hour Division of Labor Department

Marriage Equality for all

He closes with a quote from renowned UC Berkeley Political Science professor Paul Pierson:

"When you add the ACA to the reforms in the stimulus package, Dodd-Frank, and his various climate initiatives," Pierson says, "I don't think there is any doubt: On domestic issues Obama is the most consequential and successful Democratic president since LBJ. It isn't close."...

 

[jonessed]

 

[GoFishTN]

Pierson says, "I don't think there is any doubt: On domestic issues Obama is the most consequential and successful Democratic president since LBJ. It isn't close."...

Awesome.

 

[Widbil83]

This thread has top 5 historic fishing trip all written all over it. Could challenge for #1 big O still 18 months left.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

Obama has given everyone in America the ability to get ripped off by the medical industry! Hurrah!

And pre ACA it was the insurance companies. Baby steps...

 

[Koya]

This thread has top 5 historic fishing trip all written all over it. Could challenge for #1 big O still 18 months left.

Just cause you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

The guys legacy will likely far outweigh his actual impact, although he has to be given some credit in terms of changing the dynamic of certain conversations. History gonna swe Reagan... then Obama.

 

[John Bender]

eh....way too late to the party on gay marriage to give him daps for that. I was going to say he "talked the talk" on it, but he didn't even do that. He said he's for it in some 2 year old interview....big ####### deal. Most educated progressive Americans were for it 10 years before that.

It was a historic day for America, not for Obama on that side of things.

Being the first African American president is something that will be historic no matter what and what will shine through most in the future legacy discussions. I like the Foreign policy and economy as well. He's done a good job.